Polymers, Water‐Soluble

Abstract

AbstractWater‐soluble (co)polymers represent a diverse class of macromolecules ranging from naturally occurring biopolymers such as polysaccharides and most polypeptides to wholly man‐made materials. Such materials have found a wide‐range of applications. In this article we detail the synthesis and solution characteristics of both natural and synthetic polymers. Emphasis is placed on polynucleotides, polypeptides, and polysaccharides for naturally occurring polymers, while the discussion regarding synthetic materials is divided into sections dealing with neutral, anionic, cationic, and zwitterionic species. Special attention is given to recent advances in synthetic methodologies which now allow the tailoring of synthetic materials with precisely controlled microstructures, predetermined molecular weights, narrow molecular weight distributions, and complex topologies.Finally, we detail some of the self‐assembly characteristics of both high molecular weight statistical copolymers and lower molecular weight block copolymers in aqueous media with an emphasis on those materials which undergo phase transitions and/or conformational changes in response to an applied stimulus.